Dangers of a Sedentary Life

God created Adam in a garden and wanted him to work hard in the garden. He created us to work and have physical movement. Up until technology took off, most people worked hard. Men worked hard on the farm, building things, etc. and women worked hard in the homes since they didn't have washing machines, dryers, etc. Back then, people didn't need to go to the gyms or go running since their lifestyle was one of hard, physical work. 

Now, we sit all day; at our computers, at our desks, on our couches, etc. Many of you probably don't sit all day, especially if you have small children but many more sit now than ever before. Homemakers can easily get bored at home since there isn't nearly as much to keep her busy at home as there used to be. Many men sit behind desks all day and rarely move. Way too many in our country are obese because of our sedentary lifestyle.

As many of you know, I have had a lot of health problems so I have been sitting a lot. My children are all grown and gone so there isn't much housework to do. I found that my knees began to ache, then my legs began to ache and now even my arms. I knew about Trigger Point Therapy and was doing this around my knee. Then a man told me that I should try sitting on a tennis ball on a hard chair to get all the trigger points in my hamstrings. This did the trick! My knees and legs finally didn't ache all night.

My arms were hurting from typing so much so I began giving trigger point massage to all of my muscles around my elbows and within a few days the pain was gone. Years ago, when I had a frozen shoulder, it is what cured me. Lately, I've been having pain on the top of my head. When ever I have headaches, I think brain tumor. However, I was looking in my Trigger Point Therapy Workbook for what may be causing pain on the top of the head and it was two points at the top of my neck. I used my Knobble on it and the headache was gone after suffering weeks with a headache! I have used this book for years to get rid of all muscular pain and tendinitis. It also works on carpal tunnel, tennis elbow, achy joints, bad hips, backaches, foot pain {which is almost always referred pain from lower leg muscles as knee pain is almost always from thigh or hamstring muscles}, and all types of pain. Sometimes it's not where the pain is but from somewhere else that is sending off referred pain. This book will help you figure out where the pain begins so you can trigger point that area. If it doesn't help at all after a few sessions, you are probably massaging the wrong trigger points. I have used this book for years and love it. Many trigger points come from a sedentary lifestyle!

Studies have proven that sitting all day is harmful to your health. Now, I try to stand up a lot more. I'm getting a lot more housework done and even am standing and swaying back and forth while I type this post! Is your home a mess? Are you overweight? Do you ache places over your body? Buy the Trigger Point book and knobble to work out your trigger points and get to work cleaning your house and moving. The theracane is great for trigger points in your shoulder and back.

Many women are getting healthy and in shape by following Trim Healthy Mama or Weight Watchers. Sedentary lifestyles are bad for us in many, many ways. Those who have lived long, healthy lives remained active for as long as possible. Our bodies are the temples of the Holy Spirit so do what is in your power to keep it healthy so you can continue ministering for Him whether in be in your home or somewhere else.

A hard worker has plenty of food, 

but a person who chases fantasies has no sense.

Proverbs 12:11

Too Many People are Dying of Cancer

Several women and men I know are dying or have died from cancer recently. It's tragic! Mike Huckabee said in the third GOP debate that if this country could get rid of cancer, diabetes, and heart disease our health care costs would plummet. I'm not sure what he was thinking was a solution but there is no vaccine or drug that is going to automatically cure all three of these diseases. 

These diseases are caused by our lifestyles: what we eat, what we drink, the air we breath, the chemicals consumed including drugs and the overall toxicity of life today in America. Most cancers are in the body ten years before being diagnosed. There's not one simple answer for its cure but all I know is we've gotten very far away from the way God created us to live: the food He created, the clean air and water He created and the peace He created.

Yes, I believe we should do everything we can to prevent cancer: eat healthy and organic food, use non-toxic cleansers, live as stress free as possible, get plenty of sleep and exercise, etc. but even if you do all of those things, you can't control the quality of air, water, etc. that goes into your body. Therefore, we do the best we can do and leave the rest in the Lord's hands but there is not an easy fix to these diseases that some drug will cure.

Instead of spending millions of dollars searching for a cure with a drug, we should be researching how to clean up our environment of the toxic chemicals, learn to live with much fewer drugs and eat food the way God intended for us to eat it; not cooked to death and loaded with a bunch of chemicals and artificial ingredients that have been proven to cause cancer.

I have a good friend on a quest to create cookbooks with recipes that are healthy and filled with only ingredients that are good for our bodies. If you need help cooking healthy food for your family, which all wives and mothers should be pursuing, this is a great book to begin on your journey to health. {Tracy is a college friend of mine. She is a perfectionist and spends hours perfecting each recipe!}

 "The sequel to Delightfully Free is here!  Just released, Tracy Hill's second cookbook, appropriately titled Even More Delightfully Free, is exactly that.  Even more creatively healthy, surprisingly nutritious recipes that feature even more beautiful color photographs. Here is the front and back cover."

Even More Delightfully Free is made with the same quality as Delightfully Free:  Hardback cover with a practical hidden spiral, 100 lb glossy pages, featuring beautiful full-page color photos. The cost is $29.95 per book. Shipping is FREE. Tax for California residents only. 

Click below to order one book.

Or --  Share Delightfully Free or Even More Delightfully Free with family and friends & we'll thank you with 10% off each additional copy of either book. 

Currently, our online store is not set up to offer this multi-book discount, so we invite you to call us so we can personally handle your multiple book order and give you 10% off each additional book. As with single book orders, every multiple book order includes free shipping. 

If you are ordering 2 or more books, please call 714-281-2492. 
If you want to order only one book, click here.

Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, 
or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.
1 Corinthians 10:31

What if Doctors Say There is No Cure?

My mom had colitis when I was a little girl. The doctors told her there was no cure. They gave her drugs and told her to only eat white bread and white rice with no fiber. She tried it awhile and it didn't help at all. She read of a health retreat in Escondido, CA and went there to try to get well. She lived on only water for 40 days to give her colon a rest. Then they gave her organic fruit and vegetable juices. Soon after that, they gave her organic salads and fruits.

She was so much better until she came home and ate a hot dog. She began bleeding badly again. She found out she couldn't eat any meat or dairy. It took many years to figure out what she could and couldn't eat but she found the more pure and organic food she ate, the better she felt.

She finally was feeling so well, she went to have a colonoscopy and her colon was completely healed and it has been for many years. She can eat anything now without bleeding and pain. She still loves to eat mostly organic food. She turned 85 years old yesterday and has no joint pain or arthritis!

She did what doctors still tell people with colitis can't be done. How come researchers aren't knocking at my mom's door asking her how she cured her colitis so doctors can begin telling others that they can indeed cure their colitis? The doctor who ran the retreat place my mom had attended had cured himself of pancreatic cancer by living on all raw juices. There are many stories of people getting well by following completely natural routes when doctors say there was no cure.

One of my friend's son was diagnosed with Crohn's disease and was very sick. They tried the drug route but it only made him sicker. He decided to go the natural route, even growing a lot of his own food out of his backyard, and feels SO much better! The main thing he is suffering from today is the side effects from the drugs they gave him to treat the Crohns.

There is no cure in a doctor's mind if they can't cure it with surgery, radiation and drugs. I am very thankful for all three. I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for these three areas of expertise of doctors. I had no choice yet many diseases can be cured without these three things, yet no drug companies or research is being done for natural cures without drugs. Why not? It seems like it could be that there is no money in it. Natural means don't make money. Drugs make a lot of money. I hope this isn’t the reason.

Yes, there is a place for drugs but too many people want to take the easy way out, supposedly, and take a pill instead of giving up a lot of their way of life to be healed. People have been healed from allergies, asthma, cancers, high blood pressure, etc. by changing their diet and lifestyle. There are no side effects from doing it this way, whereas, there are many side effects from drugs.

Remember, doctors are only practicing medicine. They don't have all the answers. They have a lot of answers, but not all of them. Most drugs don't heal; they just cover the symptoms. God created us with an amazing immune system. The best thing you can do is learn what it takes to have a strong immune system: get off sugar and processed food, eat food the way God created, get enough sleep, fresh air and sunshine, plus exercise! Do the best you can to take care of this temple the Lord has blessed you with to live in all of the days of your life on this earth.

I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. 

Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.

Psalm 139:14

Nine Tips for Enduring Pregnancy

As many of you know, I have four children yet I’ve been pregnant five times. My first pregnancy ended in a miscarriage so I was thrilled to finally be pregnant again. All I ever wanted in life was to be a wife and mom. Since I hadn’t been too sick with my first pregnancy, I was happy I was sick with my second one since I had heard that the sicker you are, the healthier your baby is going to be. {I don’t think this is the case for all women, but for me it seemed to be.}

 I didn't go for a doctor's appointment until I was almost five months since I felt the less intervention, the better. I only had one sonogram and that was with my first live pregnancy since I had had a miscarriage prior to this one. Back then, doctors didn't do much or require much testing during pregnancy which I liked since I would have never had an abortion any way. We didn't know if it was a boy or girl until the moment the baby was born and was flipped over! I worked during this pregnancy and the next so this was difficult but I do have some tips for all of you who are thinking about getting pregnant or are pregnant.

1) Make sure you get plenty of rest. Even when I was working, during any break, I would rest my head on the table and then when I got home. A lot is going on in your body while you are pregnant. You are creating another human being! When I was home full-time with my last two pregnancies, I would put the children down for a nap, and then I would take a nap or rest while listening to praise music.

2)  Make sure you are eating as healthy as you can. When I was sick during the first few months, I would live on raw almonds, baked potatoes with avocado and bananas. It was about all I could stomach but at least it was all nourishing food. It’s important to nourish your body while you are pregnant since a baby is being created in you! Eat healthy fats {olive oil, butter, coconut oil, etc. since these will prevent stretch marks}, protein from healthy sources, and plenty of fruits and vegetables. These should be your main source of nutrition.

3) Stay away from junk food: sugar, caffeine, processed foods, and white flour. These are not nourishing at all but actually health destroying. I never had a problem with retention of water {edema} since I didn’t eat any junk. I gained around 20 pounds with each of my children and they were all around the seven pound mark. I remember reading this journal {highly recommended} of a woman who had ten children. She noticed that each child was getting bigger and she got gestational diabetes which she didn't get with her earlier babies. She concluded it was due to eating too much junk!

4) Drink a lot of water. Since the volume of blood and water is going to be much greater while housing a baby, you need to make sure you are drinking plenty of good, filtered water.

5) Always wear comfortable clothing and shoes. It is not worth backaches and being uncomfortable to look in style and fancy. You don’t want to do anything that risks the health of you or your baby by wearing something that is too tight or uncomfortable.

6) Try natural remedies for sicknesses or pain. I have used many different treatments for my illnesses and pain that didn’t include drugs and were not harmful to my health. All drugs are toxic to the human body and anything you ingest will also go to your baby. For example, zofran is sometimes used for morning sickness but did you know about all the side effects from using it? Therefore, if at all possible, use essential oils, supplements, foods, etc. to deal with what ails you, but make sure they are safe for pregnant women before taking anything.

7) At the end of a long day, try putting your feet up at night. My feet never did get swollen since I never retained water but pregnancy is still hard on feet; carrying the extra weight. Find a comfortable place, get a lot of pillows and rest. Read a good book or watch an uplifting television show. Dwell on the lovely and the good. You don't need to know all about the bad things happening in the world!

8) Take one day at a time. Pregnancy for most women is not that easy with morning sickness, back pain, contractions, etc. Try to not worry and rest in the Lord for strength. I was very sick with my fourth baby and I had three young children but the Lord brought me through. He is faithful to do this for His children.

9) Try to keep your joy! I know pregnancy can be difficult; after all, it is a result of sin that it is hard. However, there is joy when you hold that precious baby in your arms! There is NO greater joy that to have children walking in Truth. All four of our children are walking in truth and they have been our greatest joy in life!

Whenever a woman is in labor she has pain, because her hour has come; but when she gives birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish because of the joy that a child has been born into the world.

John 16:21

***Remember, I'm NOT a doctor. I'm just a homemaker who loves to research 

natural cures and have found many that have worked for my family and me. Information I have given is for educational and informational purposes only and to motivate you to make your own health care and dietary decisions based upon your own research and in partnership with your health care provider. Any statements or claims about the possible health benefits conferred by any foods or supplements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Nothing you read here should be relied upon to determine dietary changes, a medical diagnosis or course of treatment.

Get Off the Couch and MOVE!

There are many reports saying that sitting too long is unhealthy. Dr. Mercola has written many articles about it. I was thinking that this may be a great motivator for those of you who care about your health but hate housework. Since housework isn't done while sitting down and we know sitting too long is unhealthy for us, this is great motivation to get up off the couch and get to work cleaning your house for your health!

Many very old people will say that one of the healthiest things they do is to move a lot and keep busy. I remember one man who had a tragedy in his life and couldn't stop grieving. Finally, he made a list of all the things that needed to be done in his home and did them. As he began working, he began feeling better emotionally and physically! 

God created us to work. He put Adam and Eve in the garden to work. He never intended for us to sit around all day at computers and in front of televisions. Even standing is much healthier than sitting. If you don't use your muscles, you'll lose them; along with your health!

This also got me to thinking about all the hours children in the public school system sit all day long and we wonder why there's an obesity problem. As the hours and days of school increase, so does the waistline of the children and their health declines. Children were made to be out running, jumping and playing; not sitting in a chair for many hours each day. None of us were made to sit all day.

Therefore, if you are a homemaker, get OFF that couch and start cleaning your home. Make sure your kitchen stays clean and tidy. Clean the bathrooms often, sweep or vacuum the floors, organize a cabinet or two a day, and shop and fix nourishing food from scratch. You can't do any of this from the couch! Get off of the computer or phone and get moving for your health. It'll probably help with your depression if you're depressed or have other health problems that come from sitting too long.

Maybe begin to hang up a load or two of laundry outside on a warm day. Wash dishes by hand if you have too much time on your hands. Take a walk around the neighborhood with your children. Bake cookies with them when you get home. Train them how to work hard and keep a home clean and tidy since the skills you train them in when they are young will most likely stay with them until they are old. Idle hands breed trouble.

Get rid of clutter and hold a garage sale. Research ways to clean with all non-toxic products. Learn to bake bread from scratch and make your own salad dressing. Stand up whenever you text someone or are on the phone with someone; walking around while talking. Find ways to move!

We have become a nation of sitters and it's hurting us terribly in many ways. Hard work is good for us! Never be afraid of it. It will help you to sleep better and to think clearer. It will help to get you out of your pity party if you're in one since you'll be too busy to think about yourself and your problems. Homeschool your children so they don't have to sit all day. Put on worship songs and sing and dance around the house; just get up and move! For this is the day that the Lord hath made! Let us rejoice and be glad in it!

The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, 

But the soul of the diligent is made fat.

Proverbs 13:4

photo source

The Simplicity of Life in Door County

In 1958, my Grandpa, who had seven children, bought a piece of land up in Door County, Wisconsin. On it, he built a cabin for his family right on the bluffs overlooking Green Bay. Every summer, we traveled to this cabin and spent weeks with my relatives enjoying the water, food and being with family. There was no television, cell phones, computers, etc. so we swam, hiked, played at the park, went to the ferry dock to watch the ferries take the people and their cars over to Washington Island, swim, ski, play all kinds of card games, Scrabble {Our Grandma, even when she was in her 90s, could beat anyone!}, put puzzles together, etc.

One Uncle, bought the land right above my Grandpa's cabin where all of his family would stay. Another Uncle, put his motor home right above my Grandpa's cabin for them to live in and a third uncle has a year round home within walking distance where many who need a bed to sleep in can sleep! When Alyssa was born, my Dad bought a small cabin right next to my Grandpa's and my parents built more rooms onto it. Therefore, when we come up here, it's like a neighborhood of families all close together sharing life together. Every place has an open door policy and we visit with each other often.

We've brought our children up to this cabin almost every summer of their lives. They have grown to love it just as much as we do. We still don't have much cell phone or Internet access. We don't watch or listen to much news. Instead, we sit on the front deck and listen to the waves crash on the shore, watch the boats go by, read, chat and watch the sunset each night.

About 20 minutes away, there's an organic farm where we buy all types of grass-fed meats and organic vegetables. It's far from anything that would contaminate it from GMOs and other toxic chemicals. A few minutes from there is a health food store and the woman who owns it already knows us! Almost all of the stores and restaurants are family owned. People who lived up there during the Great Depression could hardly tell there was a depression. They ate fish out of the lake, used all the food they had preserved from their gardens during the summers and had ample amounts of fresh water from the lake.

There isn't one fast food restaurant or stoplight for 50 miles from our cabins. At night, it is pitch black out if there's no moon and the stars are brilliant. The only traffic you hear is the occasional boat passing by. Oh, and the praise music being played in our cabin, Grandpa's cabin and my uncle's place! {At least, this is what I heard one morning as I sat in front of my Uncle's place; the only place to get Internet access.} It's easy to be still and hear the still small voice of God without all the intrusions of the world and its continual diet of bad news.

We go to a little Baptist church near us. There's just a piano with a few people behind it belting out praise songs to the Lord. There's no bass or drums which I LOVE; just the voices of God's people praising the Lord. As I was going towards my seat, the friendly Pastor's wife came over to me and introduced herself. She, along with the Pastor, spoke to all my children and their spouses after the service. {We just came home from spending two weeks up there.} It is a small church and the people are warm and friendly!

There have been so many times when I sense a moment of what heaven will be like when I am there; diving into the warm, calm lake or sitting on the deck watching a spectacular sunset created by our loving Creator. I don't think we're supposed to know all the bad things going on in the world. Each of us has enough suffering and trials in our own families and friends that it's too much of a burden to carry those all around the world; people we don't even know. Yes, we should be praying for the lost and hurting but we shouldn't have a steady diet of terrible and terrifying news. It's sure to take away our joy when we are commanded to dwell on the lovely and the good!

This picture was taken for my Grandparent's 50th wedding anniversary 

in the cabin on July 27, 1967. I am the second child from the right. My Dad is behind me. My Mom is sitting next to me and my sisters are the one on my left and sitting in front of me.

These are my happy kiddos who could make it. {It was Ryan and Emily's first time here and they LOVED it!} My son, Ryan, and his wife, Erin, were home expecting their third and Alyssa and Jon were home to help them with Ryan's two younger ones when the baby came!

Ken posted this picture of them on my Facebook page and wrote, "The only thing that could be better than spending nine days in Door County with these guys is to have all our kids with us; lots of fun, games and laughter with white fish dinners and smoked salmon. Almost paradise with never a bad mood or cross word, just a lot of joy in the Lord for His bountiful goodness! Our God is so good, and so are Grandma and Grandpa with their generosity!"

Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power; 
for thou hast created all things, 
and for thy pleasure they are and were created.
Revelation 4:11

Cancer ~ Leading Cause of Death in Children

Dr. Oz recently had a fellow doctor on his show and this doctor stated that one of the first things they learned in medical school is that ALL drugs are toxic to the human body. Doctors should do everything to help the patient heal through lifestyle and diet changes before prescribing drugs. What is ironic is that most doctors seem to only know drugs, surgery and radiation. Diet and lifestyle should absolutely be the first thing that doctors address since according to the National Cancer Institute of Health, childhood cancer is rare, although it is the leading cause of death by disease among American kids! This is VERY scary.

I have NEVER liked to take drugs. Drugs don't cure. They just deal with symptoms. I will suffer in pain over taking drugs and I've suffered a lot but I know that drugs are harmful to my body. I research until I find something healthy that works. I will share some of these with you.

Here is what I found for ear infections after my daughter continued to have ear infections after rounds of antibiotics and surgery to put tubes in her ear wasn't working. Our bodies have an amazing ability to heal themselves. The best thing to do is to work on having a healthy immune system. Here is a wonderful and healthy way I found to cure my raging sinus infection after brain surgery. Learn how to make fresh lemonade and become more alkaline and drink this instead of health destroying sodas. 

I've cured skin cancer, warts and moles with this product. Once they are gone, they NEVER return. I've been using it for many years and can't say enough good things about it. When I had a frozen shoulder that was so painful and not wanting anyone to even touch it, I found trigger point therapy which is so gentle and has cured many aches and pains in my body. After I had my neck fused and nine months after surgery I was still in incredible pain, I discovered The Tendonitis Expert and after a whole month of laying on frozen peas and doing neck wiggles, I was able to get out of my bed of pain; just in time for my oldest son's wedding!

When my youngest daughter, Cassi, burned herself so badly on her foot that her skin fell off, I found the curative powers of aloe vera and after a week, the skin was pretty and pink. My sister battled eczema on her arm for years by trying all the stuff the doctor gave her to try on it and nothing was working. She finally got rid of all gluten and was completely healed. The same thing happened with my son-in-law; getting off gluten healed his troubled gut. My mom healed herself completely of colitis, which the doctors say is incurable, by living on all raw foods and giving up all dairy and meat for a time. My Aunt cured her shingles by taking L-Lysine. She took ten capsules the first day, nine the second, etc and by the seventh day, she was completely cured.

You can cure yourself of constipation and allergies and asthma. I had a bladder infection so badly that I had a fever and bled from it and was able to cure it by using this healthy product that cured me in just a few days. After one of my babies, I got a breast infection with a red breast and a high fever so I lived on lemon and honey water all day. The next day, I was much better. After my first brain surgery, my esophagus was fried from all the cortisone I had to take and after a year of taking the drugs that stopped all stomach acid which made me worse. I finally found a healthy way to heal myself with no drugs. I met a woman who suffered with migraines her whole life and took every drug available for relief but found health and healing through simple and healthy dietary changes. We didn't vaccinate our children because they were drugs with potentially harmful side effects, preferring to do everything we could to build up their immune systems instead.

Okay, I'm sure you're tired of hearing about all the healthy issues I have gone through but I just wanted to share them to let you know that you don't have to go the drug route to cure yourself of most diseases. If you want more of my cures, go to my Pinterest Health Posts. If you've gotten this far, thanks for listening!

Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper 
and be in health, even as thy soul prosepereth.
3 John 1:2

***Remember, I'm NOT a doctor. I'm just a homemaker who loves to research 
natural cures and have found many that have worked for my family and me. Information I have given is for educational and informational purposes only and to motivate you to make your own health care and dietary decisions based upon your own research and in partnership with your health care provider. Any statements or claims about the possible health benefits conferred by any foods or supplements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Nothing you read here should be relied upon to determine dietary changes, a medical diagnosis or course of treatment.

Gestational Diabetes and Soda

Yes, the title is a funny combination of words but just stick with me! I have enjoyed watching the Willis Family on TLC. They are a godly family with 12 children who sing and do a whole lot more. During Tuesday's episode, the mother shared that one of her babies was 12 1/2 pounds! She had trouble getting her daughter out of the birth canal and her daughter has permanent shoulder damage because of it. The mother said that after her daughter's birth, she researched gestational diabetes, which causes abnormally large babies, and decided to change her diet after this difficult pregnancy and birth. 

The family goes on tours around USA to sing and perform. During one stop, they had pizza to celebrate their oldest son's birthday. I noticed they were all drinking water. What, no soda with pizza? That's like watching baseball with no peanuts! Right? Wrong. Soda is poison to the human body. Maybe they have decided they will not be a soda drinking family after her bout with gestational diabetes since they were all drinking water. {Just a guess!} I never bought my children soda while I was raising them. I knew the ingredients and they were not fit for human consumption. {Fresh lemonade is MUCH better tasting and good for you, as a healthy alternative!}

Here is an article that explains eight ways soda affects your health negatively. Yes, it tastes good if you like sugary sweet drinks, but we need to learn to cater to the health of our body instead of our taste buds. Everything you put into your body is either nourishing it or destroying it. Every cell and tissue is made up from what we consume; it doesn't just go in one end and come out the other. We are the temple of the living God and we need to treat it as such in everything we do. Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God {1 Corinthians 10:31}. Don't live to satisfy the flesh and give into its desires but do everything for God's glory. Stop supporting the makers of junk food that are destroying the health of many and support those who are working hard to make food that nourishes our body and gives us good health.

"Start children early on knowing that cookies, ice cream, candy and cake are not healthful food and are not synonymous with love, their birthday, holidays, or parties. Teaching them to avoid bad habits is a better love. You can start them on the habit of not routinely putting harmful things in their body. Remember, that automobile coolant tastes sweet, but it is not good for you. You can teach a similar concept about sweet tasting junk food, soda, and harmful drugs to children and yourself." {Joli Bookspan}

I remember reading the journals of a mother who had nine children. She observed that her first few children were small but during her last few pregnancies, she developed gestational diabetes and her babies were very large which made delivery extremely difficult. She even needed a c-section with one because the baby was so large. After studying the cause, she too came to the conclusion that it was her diet and radically changed her family's eating habits. {You can read the archives of all her journals on the link I provided. If you want to read some godly wisdom from a mother who is raising children who've grown up walking with Jesus, I encourage you to read them. It is time well spent!}

We are responsible for our health and the health of our family. We are the ones who do the shopping and preparation of the food they eat. Yes, it takes time but it is worth it. If you are young and want to have children, eat as healthy as possible to make your body prepared to house the creating of a baby.  Don't take drugs to cure your sicknesses, if you can help it. Search for healthy alternatives that boost the immune system since it is what keeps a body healthy and fights off disease. God created the amazing human body with an incredible ability to heal itself of many diseases. Learn how it works best and take care of it. "Many people turn to vitamins, supplements, drinks with stimulant compounds, and various medicines, both over-the-counter and prescription, hoping these will fix their low energy or poor health, without ever looking at the unhealthy daily eating habits behind their problems."

Do you not know that you are a temple of God

 and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?

1 Corinthians 3:16

***Remember, I'm NOT a doctor. I'm just a homemaker who loves to research 
natural cures and have found many that have worked for my family and me. Information I have given is for educational and informational purposes only and to motivate you to make your own health care and dietary decisions based upon your own research and in partnership with your health care provider. Any statements or claims about the possible health benefits conferred by any foods or supplements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Nothing you read here should be relied upon to determine dietary changes, a medical diagnosis or course of treatment.

Preventing Depression in Children

Young people seem to be experiencing depression more now than ever before. I found an article explaining eight reasons why this is the case. Most of these reasons are due to our prosperous, industrialized and fast moving society. We think technology and our comfortable lifestyles are good but they have come at a huge price to our health and the health of our children.

The first reason listed is a lack of play. Do you see children playing in your streets and parks anymore? When I was growing up, we were playing outside most of the time, when the weather allowed. We didn't have a lot of toys so we used our imaginations to play. It is SO imperative that your children are outside playing as much as possible using their large muscles to run, jump, climb, etc. besides the benefits of being in the sunshine and fresh air.

C-Sections are also another factor. Way too many c-sections are given today. Yes, there are times when they must be given but if at all possible, don't have a c-section. Natural births are, by far, the healthiest for baby and mother. Recovering from a natural birth is much quicker for the mother and the least amount of drugs you can put into your body, the better since ALL drugs are toxic to the human body.

Sugar. The more we find out about sugar, the more we find that most diseases are from eating sugar. Sugar robs your body of important nutrients, allows cancer to proliferate and beats down your immune system. Do all you can to prevent your children from eating sugar. There are so many alternative healthy foods. I properly prepare all types of nuts and sunflower seeds for snacks. Popcorn popped in coconut oil and fruit are all great snacks for your children. Train your children to snack on nutritious food, instead of junk food which results in junk health.

Antibiotics is another reason for so much depression in children. My boys never had antibiotics growing up. My daughters received a little bit for ear infections until I learned that ear infections clear up just as quickly with antibiotics as they do without, yet those ear infections cured without antibiotics don't come back. I found this to be true. Dr. Marshall believes all infections can be cured without drugs, except a tooth infection which needs to be fixed. I have cured bladder infections, sinus infections, breast infections, and ear infections all without drugs. Drugs should only be used in emergency situations.

Television is robbing our children of mental health also. It prevents them from playing, using their imaginations,  and relating with others. It is damaging to their developing brains and eyes. Some education experts believe that a child should not watch television until they are five or six years old.  Then it should only be for an hour a day. It is addicting. Little children will be happily playing until they get in front of a television. Then they don't move at all!

How many times have I written about the devastation of divorce on children? Many times. God hates divorce and commands we be covenant keepers for many reasons and one of those reasons is for the sake of the children. I have seen the devastation divorce is upon even grown children. The value of a husband and wife staying united as one for all of their days can never be overestimated. Stay married, even if it isn't easy, because in the long run, it will be better for many.

Toxins are another cause of depression. I have written often about the need for eating organic food, cleaning with non-toxic cleaners, and having your windows open as much as possible. We weren't created to live in a toxic environment, yet we all live in one. Do what you can to rid your family's life of toxins and then leave the rest in the Lord's hands.

Stress is the final cause of depression. Children are so stressed out today, especially if they are in the public schools with all of the competition and bullying. I never studied for the SAT. I didn't even have much homework in high school. We were allowed to be children and have a lot of play time. Most of today's children don't have this privilege. Do what you can to give your children a stress-free lifestyle.

Finally, the very most important thing this article left out is to preach the Gospel to your children early and often so they know clearly who they are in Christ and their precious value to the kingdom of God.

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, 
so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.
Romans 15:13 

***Remember, I'm NOT a doctor. I'm just a homemaker who loves to research 

natural cures and have found many that have worked for my family and me. Information I have given is for educational and informational purposes only and to motivate you to make your own health care and dietary decisions based upon your own research and in partnership with your health care provider. Any statements or claims about the possible health benefits conferred by any foods or supplements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Nothing you read here should be relied upon to determine dietary changes, a medical diagnosis or course of treatment.

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What is a Healthy Weight and Healthy Diet?

There is a lot of conflicting information out there about what is a healthy weight and diet. It seems to change from month to month according to the "last study." Here is a woman's response to this dilemma from a comment on another blog which is no longer active. I think you all will enjoy!

There is much confusing information out there, no doubt. I used to be confused and not sure who to believe and what to follow. Not so much anymore. I’ve learned to listen to my body, and not all the noise and information out there. I follow a few simple rules and discard the rest: eat real, traditional foods as prepared and consumed by our ancestors, eat a lot of healthy fats {animal foods are key} from healthy sources, avoid sugar and anything processed. Get lots of sun, go barefoot, go to bed earlier {still working on that one}, reduce stress, avoid as much as possible chemicals and toxins in my home and work environments, and spend more time outside, get exercise when I feel like it, and laughing and having fun. I don’t worry about the rest.

Being healthy, by the way, is the main thing to focus on. Too many people focus on losing weight. But losing weight should be a side-effect of getting healthy. When you get healthy from eliminating chemicals, toxins, processed foods, etc. and detoxing, you will naturally lose the weight and arrive at what’s healthy for your own body, and that’s different for different folks.

I don’t worry about eating too much fat. I eat until I am full. I don’t worry about exercising myself to death to “keep in shape.” I haven’t had a weight problem ever in my life, but I have had trouble gaining weight, so when I started concentrating on eating real, whole foods as nature intended, I started to gain weight appropriately and now am at the most normal weight I’ve ever been in my life. These myths mouthed over and over again by medical experts are just nonsense anyway, and I know it’s nonsense because my whole life {over 4 decades} I’ve observed people doing the what they are told by mainstream health authorities and not get well and not lose weight.

 So, I have stopped consulting experts and just listen to my own intuition and common sense knowledge. If you are constantly changing what you do because someone told you to do it but not thinking about why you are doing it or waiting to observe whether it works, then I can see why there is confusion. Stop listening to experts and do your own research. Ultimately, you have to do what works for you.

If you don’t have digestive issues, you are most fortunate. Most people in the modern world do either from diet or poor lifestyle choices or both. These don’t always appear as what you would think of as digestive issues. Sometimes they are masked in some other way. If you have chronic health issues, no matter who you are, you definitely have some digestive issues as all health begins in the gut. Holistic medicine recognizes that everything is connected – nothing is compartmentalized. If you aren’t digesting your food properly, the eventual result is chronic health problems. I would have never connected my health issues to digestive problems, as my most noticeable symptoms weren’t really digestive-related, or so I thought. Something to think about.

For everything created by God is good, 
and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with gratitude.
1 Timothy 4:4

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Does Your Healing Depend Upon Your Faith?

My Mother was born during the Great Depression. Her town was built around a church that believed that drugs, doctors, and demons were synonymous. My Mom never recalls her Mom ever taking any of her seven children to the doctor. She had all of her children in her home and raised them on good, healthy food. She always had a garden and whenever her children got sick, she'd give them lemon and honey water.

My Mom got colitis when I was a little girl. She had married a doctor so my Dad insisted she see a doctor. The doctor told her that colitis is incurable. If drugs, surgery or radiation can't cure it, it's incurable in doctor's eyes. Somehow, it seems doctors were not taught the amazing power of the human immune system to heal itself of many diseases. They gave my Mom drugs and told her to live on white flour products and white rice. After trying this and not getting any better, she went away to a healthy retreat and lived on organic fruits and vegetable juices. She has lived on mostly organic foods ever since and has never suffered from any joint pain or arthritis. She's 84 years old! She has been cured of colitis for MANY years. Endoscopies of her colon have proven this to be so.

One young man I knew was raised in a church similar to the church my Mom was raised in. They were taught that it was your lack of faith that caused your illness and your inability to be healed. This young man believed he would be healed of his deadly disease. Books and pamphlets were continually being put in their mailbox telling them that if his faith was strong, he would be healed. He never wanted to know his prognosis, therefore, he never went into the doctor's offices with his wife to find out what the doctors' had to say. He didn't want anything to take away his faith in his healing. He had a strong faith and yet he still passed away. 

The great Apostle Paul had a thorn in his flesh, a physical ailment that most likely affected his eyes, and asked the Lord three times to take it away. The Lord told him, "And He said unto me, 'My grace it sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.' Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me" {2 Corinthians 12:9}.

God may or may not choose to heal you. He may heal you through doctors, through alternative ways, or maybe not at all. We do what we can to keep our immune system strong by eating food the way God intended us to eat, getting plenty of sleep and exercise, being outside in the fresh air and sunshine when possible, being in God's Word and prayer daily, being thankful, forgiving easily and loving freely. Then, we leave our healing up to the Lord and rest in His loving hands. Our suffering refines us. It causes us to lean deeply upon the Lord and His strength. 

Jacqueline from Deep Roots at Home put together a very informative post on natural means to heal your body. I encourage you to begin learning how to keep your body as healthy as possible and using natural means to heal before resorting to conventional means, which usually means drugs with many side effects. However, it is a blessing to have them when needed!

Catering to Your Tastebuds

Do you cater to your taste buds? Do you only eat something because it tastes good without having any idea what is in it and what it does to your health? I want to encourage you to STOP! Everything you put into your mouth affects your health. It doesn't just go in one end and out the other.

Food is meant to nourish our bodies. Sure, a treat once in awhile is okay but why not make that treat something that does not have these ingredients in them like the Nestle Hot Cocoa Mix ~

Sugar, Corn Syrup Solids, Dairy Product Solids, Vegetable Oil {Partially hydrogenated coconut or palm kernel and hydrogenated soybean}, Cocoa Processed with Alkali, and less than 2% salt, Cellulose Gum, Sodium Caseinat, Dipotassium Phosphate, Sodium Aluminosilicate, Mono-and Diglycerides, Guar Gum, Aritificial Flavor, Sucralose.

There is not one healthy, nourishing item in this list. Sugar is very detrimental to your health and it is the first several ingredients. Hydrogenated oils are not even fit for human consumption and then there are chemicals that should not be ingested into the human body.

Instead, fix some organic milk {raw milk if you can find it} or coconut milk with organic cocoa powder, a little bit of stevia and pinch of salt and it will be much healthier for you; real food and nutritious. If you want a power bar, you can buy ones at the health food store with healthy ingredients or make your own from scratch. Cookies are easy to make with REAL ingredients; ingredients you can pronounce and food that hasn't been overly processed in any way. My daughters make these yummy Peanut Butter Cups when they have a sweet tooth!

We shouldn't depend upon our health care system to keep us healthy. Yes, they are wonderful to have in emergency situations but we need to be responsible for what is going into our bodies. Therefore, stop catering to your taste buds and cater to your body instead. Nourish it with food that will create good health and a strong body. Work on building a strong immune system and then go out and be salt and light to a dark and decaying world!

Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, 
or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.
1 Corinthians 10:31